Snow storms. Dinner with old friends. Red Wine. Snuggling with my adorable nephew. Sharing stories with A's amazing grandmother, Muriel. Seeing La Boehme and the arias that moved me to tears. Wrapping Christmas presents. The smiles of my favorite people in the world. December hasn't been my best blogging month. But in my defense, I've been busy! I've decided to officially signing off for the rest of the month, until the last day of the year. I may sneak a few posts in between now and then, but don't hold your breath! See you all on the other side of the hols. Have a good one.

I'm writing from Gettysburg, Pennslyvannia, the home of A's maternal Grandmother. A's family owns a large apple farm and fruit packing business, and today we were lucky enough to go for a hike through the beautiful wintry woods. The East Coast is SO different. I haven't really been here (besides our wedding in June) for a year and a half--the longest time away since I moved West over five years ago. It's dark and cold and damp. But the hills here have a quiet beauty, and I'm so happy to be visiting such wonderful family.
After the weekend we'll be heading to another place associated with apples--New York, the Big Apple. I can't wait. We're going to the opera, going to take in a few museums, catch up with family and friends, and shop! I love the West, and am a Westerner through and through. But as the old saying goes, you can take the girl out of New York but you can't take New York outta the girl.

There is an excellent article in yesterday's New York Times about the phenomenal and legendary photographer, Robert Frank. I highly recommend you read it. I was lucky enough to catch an exhibition of his work in Barcelona a few years back. My sister, Dad and I wandered around the rooms, taking in the texture and richness, and were completely blown away by the depth of his work. Frank is originally from Switzerland. It seems to me that the best observers of a place are always somewhere on the outskirts, circling around us all, seeing things for how they truly are. Read the article!

I'm feeling slightly better. Finally getting some work done and blowing my nose a whole lot. Just bought this new mini-album on iTunes. Cat Power is, like, my all time favorite musical artist. I would follow her to the ends of the earth. Her new album, Dark End of the Street, is like everything she touches, blusey, hauntingly beautiful ,and absolute gold.

Hey folks, sorry that I've been missing in action lately. I've got a cold. When I get sick I tend to drop everything, lie down and will the germs away. A. just made me a lovely concoction of lemon, hot water, maple syrup and cayenne that he swears will have me up and running in no time. Here's hoping. Until soon...

Winter is officially here. For the past two weeks it has been gray and dark and still. We had a little bit of sun yesterday, but not nearly enough for us Coloradans, who proclaim proudly to anyone who will listen that we usually get over three hundred days of sunshine a year. These few weeks, the darkest of the year, seem to offer me a time for slowing down. This time of year is for sleeping late, and sometimes even getting back into bed during the day, cooking warm and hearty food, listening to beautiful Christmas music, and staying in. So I'm deciding to not fight the hibernation, but to relish it. Because, as with most things we learn to enjoy, it will all be over before we know it.

I've been listening to NPR today, and I have to say the reports I hear on our world and our economy are grim. There is an excellent story about a massive homeless shelter in Los Angeles that really got me thinking. Thinking about how grateful and lucky I am to have a (pretty nice) roof over my head and such delicious and organic food to eat. This holiday season I feel more of a need not only to count my blessings, but to donate my time, energy and my money to help those who need it. Because there are simply so many of them out there. {Treaty, 1974, Robert Rauschenberg}

It sifts from leaden sieves,
It powders all the wood,
It fills with alabaster wool
The wrinkles of the road.
It makes an even face
Of mountain and of plain, --
Unbroken forehead from the east
Unto the east again.
It reaches to the fence,
It wraps it, rail by rail,
Till it is lost in fleeces;
It flings a crystal veil
On stump and stack and stem, --The summer's empty room,Acres of seams where harvests were,Recordless, but for them.It ruffles wrists of posts,As ankles of a queen, --Then stills its artisans like ghosts,Denying they have been.
Emily Dickenson

Man, has it been a whirlwind of a week and a half! I've been all across Southern California, a quick sojourn to Utah and then all across Colorado, went hiking, hung out with both my families, got stuffed, got stuck in a blizzard on the way home, and had to hole up in a little mountain town until we could make it home. And now the chinook winds are starting up here and making me feel slightly off kilter. Anyhoo, as of tomorrow I will be back on track with my posts and my life and my work. (I hope!) Hope you all had a scrumptious holiday!

hello! bonjour. hola. bom dia.

My name is Honora, and I am writer and grad student in San Francisco, CA. I love British mysteries, the word vermillion, sitting in the sun after a nice swim, and logging time in international airport terminals (and the countries that they take me to). Thanks for visiting!

Feel free to leave comments on posts, or to get in touch by e-mail: byitsowndesign@gmail.com.

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